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GOP Rep.: Obama trying to 'save face' with Syria attack

The House Foreign Affairs Committee member said the president should also "follow the lead of Great Britain and have Congress, the people, make this decision whether to go to war or not."

"The Constitution requires it," Poe said. "Members of Congress can come back even today. It's early enough. We could all come back up here today and make that decision whether America yet needs another war."

The Texas Republican said that if the president opted to use military force without prior congressional approval, it would be "more alarming" than other recent examples of the White House bypassing Congress because there "is no national security threat against the United States."

"Let's back up. Is it a national security interest? Are we threatened personally? And the answer is no," Poe said. "So Congress should make the decision."

Poe went on to say that the president needed to define the "purpose" and "goal" of any military action.